snorkel

1 of 2

noun

snor·​kel ˈsnȯr-kəl How to pronounce snorkel (audio)
plural snorkels
1
: a plastic tube that allows a swimmer to breathe while keeping the head or face under the surface of the water
He swam about 250 yards on the surface, using a snorkel to breathe, to get past the barren sandy bottom.Brian Clark
No complicated equipment—just a mask, snorkel, and fins, and you're set to explore a shimmering world of exotic fish and Technicolor coral.Richard Alleman
2
: a tube housing air intake and exhaust pipes for a vehicle's engine that can be extended above the water's surface so that the engine can be operated while the vehicle is partially or fully submerged
Water entered the snorkel of an Argentine submarine and caused one of its batteries to short circuit before the vessel went missing this month, a navy spokesman said Monday.Chicago Tribune
Most need to be specially modified … with extra ground clearance to get over big rocks, an exhaust snorkel for river crossings, industrial-strength suspension, and an engine with enough torque to power through mud and sand.Jerry Guo

snorkel

2 of 2

verb

snorkeled; snorkeling ˈsnȯr-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce snorkel (audio)

intransitive verb

: to operate or swim submerged using a snorkel
snorkeler noun

Examples of snorkel in a Sentence

Verb We snorkeled in the Caribbean on our vacation last year.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Grab your snorkel gear, and head to the Point of Rocks on the southern end of Crescent Beach. Gina Kramer, USA TODAY, 24 Sep. 2024 Your butler will deliver your snorkel gear, a standup paddle board, and supplies for a comfortable place to relax under the coconut trees. Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2024
Verb
The agency learned a couple had been snorkeling, and first-responders on a jet ski located the pregnant 26-year-old woman in the water, took her to shore and began CPR. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 19 Sep. 2024 For each image, this often results in many miles hiked, and snorkeled, to learn the best locations and approaches to photograph different species. Ben De La Cruz, NPR, 3 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for snorkel 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'snorkel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

German Schnorchel

First Known Use

Noun

1945, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snorkel was in 1945

Dictionary Entries Near snorkel

Cite this Entry

“Snorkel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snorkel. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

snorkel

1 of 2 noun
snor·​kel ˈsnȯr-kəl How to pronounce snorkel (audio)
1
: a tube or tubes that can be extended above the surface of the water to supply air to and remove exhaust from a submerged submarine
2
: a tube used by swimmers for breathing with the head under water

snorkel

2 of 2 verb
snorkeled; snorkeling -k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce snorkel (audio)
: to swim underwater using a snorkel

More from Merriam-Webster on snorkel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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